Gov. Cuomo on Monday will sign legislation outlawing the tattooing or piercing of pets. “This is animal abuse, pure and simple,” Cuomo said. “I’m proud to sign this common-sense legislation and outlaw these cruel and unacceptable practices once and for all in New York.” The bill, approved by the Legislature in June, was introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) in 2011 after she saw stories on the Internet about a woman selling “Gothic kittens” with piercings on their necks, ears and spines.Tattoo artist Mistah Metro of Brooklyn posted an Instagram photo of his dog in March after giving him a tattoo. Mistah Metro wrote on Instagram before taking down the image: One of the many reasons my dog is cooler than your(s)! She had her spleen removed today and the vet let me tattoo her while she was under. Vine Mistah Metro wrote on Instagram before taking down the image: One of the many reasons my dog is cooler than your(s)! She had her spleen removed today and the vet let me tattoo her while she was under. The legislation gained momentum earlier this year after Brooklyn tattoo artist Mistah Metro posted a photo of his tattooed pooch on Instagram. The picture — which showed the brown-and-white dog marked by a heart-shaped tat with an arrow through it and a ribbon around it reading “Alex” and “Mel” — created a firestorm of controversy. “One of the many reasons my dog is cooler than your(s)! She had her spleen removed today and the vet let me tattoo her while she was under,” Mistah Metro barked on Instagram before taking down the image. Rosenthal, one of the Legislature’s most ardent animal-rights advocates, said pets need protection from careless owners. “Humans should not apply their own fashion sense in permanent harm and injury to their animals,” she said. Rosenthal has written legislation giving judges the power to issue orders of protection to pets, limiting the testing of cosmetics on animals, and giving cities special powers to shut down puppy mills. Her anti-animal-piercing bill was one of more than 100 pieces of legislation passed by lawmakers earlier this year still awaiting action by the governor.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 18:37:26 +0000